Washington’s first NextGen bar exam unraveled in Yakima on Tuesday, leaving more than 800 aspiring lawyers without a completed first day of testing. The remainder of the July exam was canceled after a technology failure prevented most applicants from finishing—or, in many cases, properly starting—the test.
The Washington State Bar Association said it did not have enough confidence that the problem would be fixed in time for Wednesday’s session, according to KOMO News. The disruption happened at the Yakima Convention & Event Center, where the exam was scheduled to run over two days.
Affected applicants are being offered a makeup exam in late summer or early fall, the option to transfer their registration to the February 2027 exam, or a full refund. Applicants taking the test with approved accommodations were able to complete their exams as scheduled, while the bar association said it notified all registered candidates by email and through its admissions portal.
Washington Was Already Testing A New Bar Exam Format
The failed administration was supposed to mark Washington’s first run of the NextGen bar exam, a redesigned version of the Uniform Bar Exam. In June planning materials, the Washington State Bar Association said 804 examinees were expected in Yakima, along with 131 testing-accommodation requests.
The association had anticipated hiring 65 proctors and deploying 28 WSBA staff members for the administration, which required new planning because Washington was adopting the exam for the first time. The July test was also part of a broader shift ordered by the Washington Supreme Court, which set the NextGen passing score at 610.
Applicants Still Face An Unsettled Timeline
The bar association said it will work with the Washington Supreme Court on additional next steps, while specific technical questions are being directed to the convention center. The venue has issued its own statement about the disruption, but the bar association has not publicly detailed a final technical explanation.
For now, candidates are left weighing a rescheduled exam against a February test or a refund after preparing for months, traveling to Yakima and arranging work and personal plans around a high-stakes licensing exam. The association’s makeup window offers a path forward, but the exact date and testing arrangements remain unresolved.
Applicants with questions can contact the Washington State Bar Association at [email protected]. The latest public account of the cancellation and the options offered to candidates was reported by KOMO News.
